We spoke with Luca to find out how he helps clients turn complex requirements into practical CRM solutions, what he enjoys most about his role, and how a planned two-year move to the UK became more than a decade.
I’m a Senior Consultant on the CRM side of the business at Cantarus, working on CRM implementations from start to finish. That covers everything from early requirements gathering sessions and product demos through to development, data migration, UAT, go-live and post go-live support. Over the last few years I’ve focused on helping cultural attractions and charities manage their processes more effectively.
I moved from Italy to the UK in January 2016 and joined FlexRM (now Cantarus CRM), which was acquired by Cantarus in 2025.
Outside of work, I’m a huge football fan and support Napoli, and I also enjoy playing chess in my free time.
After completing my degree in Italy, I started working as a developer for a Microsoft partner in Turin, my hometown. That’s where I was first introduced to Microsoft Dynamics, back when CRM 2011 was the latest version. I worked on a number of projects, all within the automotive sector, and after three years I decided I wanted to gain some working experience outside of Italy. London seemed like the perfect fit.
I interviewed with FlexRM and really liked their dynamic approach to managing projects. It was initially meant to be a two-year experience, but here we are more than ten years later, with no plans to move back!
Every day is quite different, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. I usually start by checking emails and our support queue to see if anything urgent has come in from clients overnight, and then plan my day around current project priorities.
A good part of my time is spent on hands-on delivery. That might be configuring Dynamics 365, building Power Automate flows, developing a Power Pages portal, writing C# plugins, or working on a data migration from a client’s legacy system. Integration work also comes up regularly, connecting Dynamics with other systems.
Alongside the build work, I spend time with clients. Maybe a discovery workshop to understand their requirements, a progress catch-up, a demo of new functionality, or a training session for their users. A good number of the clients I work with are nonprofit and cultural organisations, these conversations are often about how the system can support areas like fundraising, membership or visitor engagement.
I work closely with colleagues across the team, whether that’s discussing a solution design, reviewing an approach, or helping each other troubleshoot.
One of the highlights has been creating digital membership cards for the Design Museum. It gave me the chance to work with the Apple Wallet and Google Wallet APIs to generate passes directly from the CRM, which was something new and different from my usual day-to-day work. I was happy to see a project go beyond the system itself and become something members could actually carry with them on their phones, improving their experience every time they visit the museum.
More generally, I particularly enjoy working on integrations with external systems. A good example is the integration I built for Polaris to send WhatsApp messages using Twilio, which gave them a new way to reach their contacts directly from the CRM. Connecting Dynamics with other platforms is always an interesting challenge, and it’s satisfying to see the different systems working together.
The most important skill is being able to translate between the business and the technology. Many of our clients come to us with problems around fundraising, membership, events or visitor engagement rather than technical requirements, so I need to understand how their organisation actually works and then shape Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform around that.
On the technical side, a broad understanding of the Microsoft stack is essential. That covers Dataverse data modelling, Power Automate, Power Pages, Azure services and, where configuration isn’t enough, C# plugin development and integrations. Data migration is also a big part of the role, so being comfortable with tools like KingswaySoft and SSIS, and being meticulous about data quality, makes a real difference to how smoothly a go-live goes.
Also, communication is key, whether that’s running workshops, training end users or explaining a technical constraint to a non-technical stakeholder. I’ve learned it’s better to be upfront about what’s possible than to promise too much and disappoint later.
Get hands-on as early as possible. Microsoft offers lots of free resources, so you can build your own model-driven apps, flows and portals without needing a client project. Microsoft Learn is an excellent tool, and certifications give you a structured path and something to show employers. PL-900 (Power Platform Fundamentals) is a good place to start, followed by an associate-level exam such as AB-410 (Intelligent Applications Builder). Microsoft refreshes its certifications regularly, so it’s always worth checking Microsoft Learn for the latest options.
Don’t focus only on the technology. You need to understand your clients’ processes, so take the time to learn how they work.
We list all our open positions on our careers page.
Follow us on LinkedIn to be the first to know when a new role opens.